Mathematics at The University of Montana

A mathematics bachelor's from The University of Montana comes with an estimated debt load of around $21,500—roughly half a year's first-year salary based on national peer programs. That's a manageable starting point, though the actual trajectory for Montana grads is harder to pin down since individual program data isn't available.

What we do know is concrete: four years out, graduates from this program earn $44,677. That's notably higher than the $34,475 median for Montana State's mathematics program, suggesting Montana's math grads may find stronger earning opportunities as they establish their careers. However, it's worth noting that first-year earnings estimates are based on national data, which may not reflect Montana's regional job market realities. The state's math programs typically produce lower initial earnings than the national median, so that $48,772 first-year figure should be taken with some caution.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 looks reasonable on paper, and if your child can start near that national estimate, the financial picture works. But the gap between estimated first-year and actual fourth-year earnings is unusual—most graduates see income growth, not stagnation. Whether that reflects Montana's market or measurement timing isn't clear. If your child plans to stay in Montana after graduation, factor in that math careers here may start slower than national averages suggest, even if this specific program appears to outperform its in-state peer later on.